"Pudding" is derived from the Old English word puduc meaning wart. (ewwwww?) By the 14th Century it had become the Middle English word poding meaning a sausage made from the entrails of an animal "stuffed with a mixture of minced meat, suet, oatmeal and seasoning...boiled and kept until needed" according to the Oxford English Dictionary. (The OED has five columns of definitions and examples for pudding, including "U.S. slang: Something easy to accomplish." I didn't know that.) There is even a nautical definition, meaning the padding that prevents scraping between colliding vehicles. Perhaps the suet used in the original sausage and the fact that it was boiled is the connection between the original meaning and the moist cake of the British term. Today in Britain "pudding" means the dessert course.
Why we in America mean something completely different, I haven't been able to determine. I looked in Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, (thank you Bluecat!) and she has pages of wonderful desserts like Creme Plombieres Pralinee, Mousse A L'Orange, Charlotte Malakoff au Chocolat that look as though they take days to make. Of course these are creams and custards and closer to the American "pudding" but that doesn't explain the difference. (French pouding of course is similar to the British meaning.) Perhaps it all comes down to JELL-O after all.
Betty, I am going to make your pineapple salad this afternoon, but my gelatin is past the expiration date. I didn't realize that gelatin even had an expiration date! Do you think 3 year old gelatin will still work??
ReplyDeleteShelley: I don't know. If it's too late to get more gelatin just go ahead and make the salad. I'll bet it will work because gelatin is gelatin it seems to me. I just looked at a box of gelatin that I have (it's five years old--that's how long its been since I've made that salad). It says "sell by...." It doesn't say anything about not working after that date.
ReplyDeleteThats just what I am going to do! Make it. If it works, then we will both know the expiration date doesn't mean a thing! (fingers crossed)
ReplyDeleteHow great was that Mission. Well written and just well done by all of us.
ReplyDeleteJudith: It was wonderful! And that's exactly what I'd do if I got the chance.
ReplyDeleteNot too many on the blog seemed too have enjoyed the latest Mission that much. I know one little person in a Pug suit had a great time writing the scenes between Stover and the Fabulous Baker Boy. He said the Wookie and Kirby scenes were fun to write as well. Actually, the whole thing was fun to write. But because he is very insecure when it comes to his writing he wishes he could get more feed back on the blog to know whether to keep doing it or not. Melanie got gobs of feed back.
ReplyDeleteWhat I really came to report was, the gelatin worked just fine. I don’t think it ever expires. Everyone really liked the pineapple salad, but next time I make it I will add some sugar to the cream cheese. Thanks for the recipe.
Shelley: You're being too hard on yourself. I think everyone on the blog enjoyed this mission report as well as the others. People don't like commenting in detail because they don't always know how to express themselves; at times they don't know themselves what it is they like. (I have the same problem with students.)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that the salad turned out. I just double checked the recipe and it doesn't call for sugar but you may be right. I often use Miracle Whip (don't know if you're familiar with it) because I like it more than mayonnaise. It's sweet and has more flavor. My mom always used mayonnaise. (Actually, I don't think I could taste a difference but my brother could.)
Regarding this whole Illustrated Novel business, I might be willing to give it a try. I do have the time during the slow season. I will write Chapter One and send it to you. If you think there is hope, I will work on chapter two and well, we will just see how far it goes. There’s no harm in trying, right? Rio will kick and scream the whole way, just a warning.
ReplyDeleteShelley: Excellent! We can handle Rio.
ReplyDeleteThere is a possibility that I won't be teaching this coming semester. My breathing still is not normal. (I get winded doing anything except while sitting.) I'm going to the doctor later this week for a follow-up. So, I may have extra time as well.
There is also the possibility that I will not be able to come up with a good idea about how to start writing this....
ReplyDeleteShelley: Don't worry about coming up with a good idea. Just start writing. (The blank screen or page is the author's worst enemy.) Once you start, ideas will come to you. Then you can go back and rewrite, rearrange, add and delete things.
ReplyDeleteTrust me. This works.
Check out John Ciardi's Second Browser's Dictionary: and Native's Guide to the Unknown American Language. He has an entry on Pudding.
ReplyDeleteMaggie
Hi Maggie! John Ciardi translated Dante's Divine Comedy. I'll go on Amazon to see if I can find the dictionary. Thank you for letting me know about it.
ReplyDelete